Automobile door construction



Dec. 26, 1950 E. L. BLACKMAN AUTOMOBILE DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed May 3, 1947 w M .w m U m I .WL I! H "w .w 1 3 m man W lfl u O l. H J O u 0 m9 9 a 8 H o 2 5 H H r0 7 m b 7 m n. a n. u a ll 03 1 o l 9 m 1 m I fr 4 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in the construction of motor vehicle doors whereby increased headroom for the exit and entrance of riders is provided for.

In the modern automobile the top of the vehicle is so extremely low that passengers entering and leaving the vehicle experience considerable difiiculty in making such entrances and exits, it being necessary for them to bend down in order to avoid striking their head coverings and even their heads on the roof of the vehicle at the top of the dOOr. This is particularly annoying to taxicab passengers who usually engage a taxi for a relatively short ride and whose hands ar frequently encumbered by baggage.

Oneof the objects of my invention is to provide a vehicle door construction which will carry a section of the vehicle top above the door mounted on it so that sufiicient headroom is afforded when the door is opened.

Another object of my invention is the provision of means within the vehicle door whereby the top section mounted on the door is automatically lifted and moved out of the way when the door is opened and automatically returned to a securely closed position when the door is closed.

Another object is to provide a leakproof joint between the said movable top section and the adjacent edges of the fixed top of the vehicle.

Another object is to provide a linkage system between the movable top section and the vehicle door whereby greatly increased leverage is provided by relatively simple, strong and efiicient means for smooth and easy operation of the top section lifting and lowering mechanism, and all mounted in the door.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and the accompanying drawings. i For the purpose of this description the accompanying drawings are referred to, in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a .vehicle door showing the top section lifting mechanism with the vehicle door open;

. Fig. 2 is a section at right angles to that of Fig. 1 of the vehicle door showing the top section lifting mechanism and the top section in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the vehicle showing the door and top section in a closed position.

Referring to the drawing, I is the vehicle door, 2 is the movable top section hinged to the door at 3 by means of a conventional type of curled over hinge having a central rod 4 fixed rigidly to the movable top panel section 2 through hinge members 3a and turning in hinge members 312. The rod 4 at its central point has rigidly aillxed to it a toothed gear 5, and when the gear 5 and the rod 4 are rotated the top panel 2 is either raised or lowered according to the direction of rotation of these parts. Intermeshed with the gear 5 is the toothed spur gear 6 capped with the bevel gear 1. Gears 6 and l are fixed on rod la for rotation and alignment, rod la being mounted to rotate freely. Bevel gear I meshes with bevel gear 8 rigidly fixed to a rod 9 suitably mounted to rotate and to maintain the bevel gears l and 8 in mesh at all times yet free to rotate in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, in whichever direction they may be driven by the gear it which is fixed to the rod 9 and in turn meshed with the rack II whose teeth are impressed or cut out of the thrust rod I2. The rotatable rods 1a and 9 are mounted for free rotation and alignment by the bearings lb and 9a which are suitably afi'ixed to the door by welding or other means.

Thrust rod I2 is slidably held in position by the guides and detents l3 and l3a and is of reduced diameter at its end l4 so as to slide through an opening [5 in the edge I of the door I. The reduced portion [4 of the push rod 12 is in juxtaposition to a wear plate It afiixed to the door frame I! and sunk into the said door frame, is provided at its extremity with an antifriction roller 24, so that when the door I is closed, by swinging on the hinges 28 the end of i2 bears against the wear plate l6. Push rod l2 also has affixed to it a retention collar l8 for limiting the expansion of a compression spring l9 whose opposite end is retained by the alignment detent I311. The movable top panel 2 at its upper edge is beveled inwardly at 20 and this bevel is lined with rubber or like compressible material 2 l. The horizontal edge of the top 22 of the vehicle where it comes in contact with the edge of the movable top panel is formed with an outward bevel 23, so that it will fit the bevel 20 of the movable panel 2. The side edges of the top panel and the complemental edges of the fixed top are preferably formed in substantially the same manner, as indicated at 21, so as to present a smooth water: tight overlapping seal when the door is closed. Any other suitable sealed closure, however, may be used.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

When the rider opens the door of the vehicle the compression spring I9 acting against the collar l8 forces the push rod l2 forward, causing the teeth II to rotate the gear l0 which rotates the bevel gear 8 both being attached to the rod 9,,

Bevel gear 8 rotates gear I which in turn rotates spur gears 6 and 5 and thus rotates the rod 4 to which gear 5 is afiixed. Since the movable top panel 2 is aflixed to the shaft 4 it is raised in an are thus making headroom for the passenger alighting from the vehicle. When the door is closed the end of the narrowed portion M of the push rod [2 bears against the wear plate 16 and the reverse action of the mechanism is accomplished together with the compression of the spring [9. Thus the top'panel 2 is positively closed against the action of the spring 19 as long as the door remains closed and held by its latch, and it will swin up only as the door opensand the rod I2 is permitted to move outwardly by the door jamb. On the closing movement of the .door,':due to the arrangement of the operating gears, the beveled complemental edges of top aperture and removable top section will be brought substan tially opposite each other before they come in contact and a tight closure will.-be -ins ured by the beveled surfaces of the edges whichwill guide the section edges home.

"What I claim is:

1. In -a device of the character described, in combination with a door, a frame for said .door, a hinge on which. said door is mounted in said frame and a fixed top having a recess above the door, a top section of the door cor-responding .to

said recess and hingedly mounted on the top of means mounted on said door operable by contact with the frame of the door and connected :with said section for swinging said section, said means operable by the movement .of said :dooron its hinge, said means compris-inga member movable with respect to said door and operativelyassociated with said frame only when thedooris closed or in proximity .to its closed position in the frame therein.

-2. In a, device of the character :described, in combination with a :door, a frame for saididoor, a hinge on which said door is mounted-in said frame and .-a fixed top having .a recess above the door, ,a top section of the ,door corresponding to said recess and hingedly mounted on the tODyOf the door near one edge thereof and constructed and arranged to openan-d close said recess and to swing up and down when'the door is opened and closed respectively, means mounted on said door for swinging said section andactuated by thezmovement. of :said door. on its hinge, :comprising atmember actuated to move Flatenally on said door. and .to extend beyond the same .at one edge thereof, and means for urging said member outwardly also mounted on said door, a part on the frame positioned adjacent the :hinged portionof the door constructed andarranged to-engage and move said member inwardly when the izdoor..-is swung toward closed position, .andoperative connectionsbetweensaid member and section whereby movement of the former causes the stated movement of the latter.

3. In a device of the character described, :in combination with a door, a frame for said ,door, a hinge on which said door is mounted insaid frame and a fixed top having a recess .above the door, a top section of the door corresponding to said recess and hingedly mounted on the topof the ..door nearone edge thereof andconstnucted and arranged to open and close said recess .and to swing up and down when the dooris opened and closed respectively, means mounted on said door for swinging said section and actuated by the movement of said door on its hinge, comprising a member mounted to move laterally on said door and to project beyond the same at one edge thereof, and spring means for constantly urging said member outwardly, a part on the frame positioned adjacent the hinged portion of the door constru ted and arranged to engage and move said member inwardly .when the door, is swung toward closedposition and to cause said section to swing approximately into alignment with the edges of said recess and operative connections betweensaid members and section whereby movement of the former causes the stated movement .of thejlatter.

4. In a device of the character described, in combination with-a door, a frame for said door, a hinge ,on which said door is mounted in said frame and a fixed top having a recess above the door, ..a .topsection ,of the door corresponding to said recess .and hingedly mounted .on thetop of the G001 near one edge thereof and constructed and arranged to open and close said recess and to swing up and down when the door is opened and closed respectively, means mountedton said door for swinging saidsection and actuated by the movement of said. door on its hinge, comprising a member mounted to move laterally on said door and to project beyond the same atone edge thereof, and means for urgin ..said member outwardly, a part on the frame positioned adjacent the hinged portion of the. door. cOnstrHQtedand arranged to engage and move said member inwardly when the dooris swung toward and to a position approximating its .closed position, and operating connections between said member and section whereby movement of the former causes the stated movementof the latter, said ,part being fixed to the door frame in the path-of the outward movement of said member.

5. In a device of the character. described, in combination with .a door, a frame Iforsaid .door, a hinge on which said .door .is mounted in .said frame and a fixed t p havinga recess above the door, atop section .of the door corresponding .to said recess and hingedly mounted .on the top of the door near one edge thereof andconstructed and arrangedto open and-close said recess and to-swing up and down, when the .door is opened and closed respectively, means-mounted .onsaid door for swinging said sectiomand actuated .by the movement of said door 1011 its hinge, comprising a member ;mounted to ,move laterally :on..s aid door. and to project beyond thesameat one edge thereof, and means for urging said member outardlv, :a p rt on the ..framepo iti ned ad acent the hin ed :portion of :the.door constructed an arranged: to engage and ,move said member :inwardly when the .door is ,swungtoward and o a position approximating. its closed "position, and operative connections ibetweenesaid member and section whereby movement of the forrner causes the stated movement of the flatter.saidipahttbeing fixed to the :doorframe'inthe .pathof'the outward movementiof saidmember and .=said member being retractable to normal section closing position by pressure of said part thereon when theidoorris so moved.

6. In adevice of .the.oharacterdescribed,1a door frame,.a,.door hinged to said frame; at 10118 .edge, a fixed top having an aperture therein .-:ab0,ve th door, axremovable top sectio fitting. said ap t e and mountedonthe $01) of. the door :to move outwardly :away from said top and inwardly toward it with said door to open and close said aperture and to swing upwardly thereon when the door is opened and downwardly when the door is moved toward closing position, a laterally movable member mounted on said door but unconnected to said frame, a part on said frame in the path of the movement of said member constructed and arranged to move said member inwardly of said door when the door is moved toward closing position and means mounted on said door for moving said member outwardly thereof when the door is opened, and operative connections between said member and said section whereby movement of the former causes the latter to swing upwardly and downwardly.

7. In a device of the character described, a door frame, a door hinged to said frame at one edge, a fixed top having an aperture therein above the door, a removable top section fitting said aperture and mounted on the top of the door to move outwardly away from said top and inwardly toward it with said door to open and close said aperture and to swing upwardly thereon when the door is opened and downwardly when the door is moved toward and into proximity with its closing position, a laterally movable member mounted on said door, a part on said frame in the path of the movement of said member constructed and arranged to move said member inwardly of said door when the door is moved toward closing position and means mounted on said door for moving said member outwardly thereof when the door is opened, and operative connections between said member and said section whereby movement of the former causes the latter to swing upwardly and downwardly, the edges of said top aperture and section being complementally inclined to engage and seat said edges and form a tight joint between them when the door is closed.

8. In a device of the character described, in combination with a door, a frame for said door, a hinge on which said door is mounted in said frame and a fixed top having a recess above the door, a top section of the door corresponding to said recess and hingedly mounted on the top of the door near one edge thereof and constructed and arranged to open and close said recess and to swing up and down when the door is opened and closed respectively, means mounted on said door for swinging said section and actuated by the movement of said door, comprising a member mounted to move with respect to said door, and means carried by the door for urging said member in one direction, a part on the frame positioned adjacent the door constructed and arranged to engage and move said member in another direction when the door is swung toward closed position, and operative connections between said member and section whereby movement of the former causes the stated movement of the latter.

9. In a device of the character described, in combination with a door, a frame for said door, a hinge on which said door is mounted in said frame and a fixed top having a recess above the door, a top section of the door corresponding to said recess and hingedly mounted on the top of the door near one edge thereof and constructed and arranged to open and close said recess and to swing up and down when the door is opened and closed respectively, and means comprising a device movable laterally on and mounted on said door and cooperative with the frame of the door for swinging said section actuated by the movement of said door on its hinge, said means being operatively connected with said frame only when the door is closed or in proximity to its closed position in the frame.

10. In a device of the character described, a door, a frame for said door, a hinge on which said door is mounted in said frame and a fixed top having a recess above the door, a top section of the door corresponding to said recess hingedly mounted on the top of the door and constructed and arranged to swing up and down and to open and close said recess when the door is opened and closed respectively, and laterally movable means REFERENCES CITED The fol owing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Heinz Dec. 2'7, 1938 Number 

